By Solomons                                             H.B. No. 75
         76R261 JRD-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the use of automatic external defibrillators for
 1-3     cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subtitle B, Title 9, Health and Safety Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Chapter 790 to read as follows:
 1-7              CHAPTER 790.  MISCELLANEOUS EMERGENCY PROVISIONS
 1-8           Sec. 790.001.  USE OF AUTOMATIC EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATORS.  (a)
 1-9     A person may, in accordance with this section, use an automatic
1-10     external defibrillator for the purpose of saving the life of
1-11     another in cardiac arrest.
1-12           (b)  Notwithstanding Chapter 773 or other law, a person is
1-13     not required to hold any license or certificate issued by
1-14     government, but the person must have successfully completed a
1-15     course that includes training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and
1-16     that requires the person trained to demonstrate proficiency in the
1-17     use of an automatic external defibrillator.
1-18           (c)  As soon as practicable after a person uses an automatic
1-19     external defibrillator for the purpose of saving the life of
1-20     another in cardiac arrest, the person shall use or direct another
1-21     to use the 9-1-1 service to seek appropriate emergency assistance.
1-22     If 9-1-1 service is not available, the person shall attempt to seek
1-23     appropriate emergency assistance in another practicable way.
1-24           (d)  Section 74.001, Civil Practice and Remedies Code,
 2-1     applies to emergency care administered through the use of an
 2-2     automatic external defibrillator without regard to whether the
 2-3     person administering the care is described by Section 74.001(b)(2),
 2-4     Civil Practice and Remedies Code.  For purposes of this subsection
 2-5     and Section 74.001, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, a person who
 2-6     uses or gratuitously provides the automatic external defibrillator
 2-7     is considered to have administered emergency care.
 2-8           (e)  A person who possesses an automatic external
 2-9     defibrillator is encouraged to register the existence and location
2-10     of the device with the local provider of emergency medical
2-11     services.
2-12           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-13     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-14     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-15     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-16     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-17     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-18     passage, and it is so enacted.